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US 7,963,361 B2Granted
Steering axle transport positioning structure and method
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsBruce A. Coers, Daniel J. Burke, Ryan P. Mackin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering axle assembly of a work machine such as an agricultural harvester includes telescoping axles and hub assemblies on the telescoping axles, with front and rear hydraulic cylinders for axially and angularly adjusting positions of the wheel hub assemblies, including steering the hubs to angles sufficient to minimize a width of the steering axle assembly for transport.
Claims21
An agricultural work machine, comprising:
- a chassis;
- and
- an axle assembly coupled to said chassis, said axle assembly including;
- first and second wheel hub assemblies;
- forward and rearward hydraulic cylinders coupled to each said first and second wheel hub assemblies for angularly adjusting positions of said first and second wheel hub assemblies with respect to said chassis;
- said forward and rearward hydraulic cylinders configured and arranged with respect to each other for steering said first and second wheel hub assemblies to a transport position in which said wheel hub assemblies are angled relative to said chassis sufficient to reduce the overall width of said axle assembly from a width with said first and second hub assemblies axially aligned with one another;
- and
- first and second telescoping axles pivotally connected to said first and second wheel hub assemblies, said forward and rearward hydraulic cylinders configured and arranged for axially extending and retracting said telescoping axles and for angularly positioning said wheel hub assemblies, said angular positioning and said axial extending and retracting motions being accomplished solely by operation of said forward and rearward hydraulic cylinders.
5 more elements
A steering axle couplable to a work machine, said steering axle comprising:
- first and second wheel hub assemblies;
- forward and rearward hydraulic cylinders coupled to each said first and second wheel hub assemblies for angularly adjusting positions of said first and second wheel hub assemblies with respect to said chassis;
- said forward and rearward hydraulic cylinders configured and arranged with respect to each other so that said first and second wheel hub assemblies are steerable to a transport position in which said wheel hub assemblies are angled sufficiently to reduce the overall width of said axle assembly from a width with said first and second hub assemblies axially aligned with one another;
- and
- first and second telescoping axles pivotally connected to said first and second wheel hub assemblies, said forward and rearward hydraulic cylinders configured and arranged for axially extending and retracting said telescoping axles and for angularly positioning said wheel hub assemblies, said angular positioning and said axial extending and retracting being accomplished solely by operating of said forward and rearward hydraulic cylinders.
2 more elements
A method for preparing a crop harvester for transport, said method comprising steps of:
- removing wheels from an axle assembly of the harvester;
- steering hubs on opposite ends of the axle assembly to angles sufficient to reduce an overall distance between outer edges of the hubs;
- and
- retracting telescopic axles of the axle assembly, said steering hubs and said retracting telescoping axles steps being accomplished solely by operation of forward and rearward hydraulic cylinders positioned on opposite sides of said telescoping axles.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.